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José Mourinho is set for a dramatic return to Real Madrid after signing a three-year contract to take charge of the Spanish giants, ending weeks of speculation over the club’s managerial future.

The Portuguese coach will not be officially presented until after Real Madrid’s presidential election scheduled for June 7.

However, the agreement depends on current president Florentino Perez retaining his position in an election expected to end his club’s first contested presidential race in two decades.

Mourinho, 63, leaves Benfica after a brief spell that ended with a third-place finish in Portugal’s Primeira Liga.

His return comes as Real Madrid seek a reset after a disappointing 2025-26 campaign that ended without silverware.

Barcelona reclaimed the La Liga title, while Bayern Munich knocked Los Blancos out of the Champions League quarter-finals.

Mourinho previously managed Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup during a fiercely competitive era dominated by clashes with Barcelona.

He replaces Alvaro Arbeloa, who took over in January following Xabi Alonso’s departure.

Since leaving Madrid in 2013, Mourinho has managed Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham, Roma, Fenerbahce and Benfica, collecting major honours including a Premier League title with Chelsea, the Europa League with United and the Europa Conference League with Roma.

Real Madrid are now turning back to a familiar figure, banking on Mourinho’s experience, authority and winning pedigree to end two barren seasons and restore the club’s dominance.

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Paris Saint-Germain have received a timely injury boost ahead of Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final against Arsenal after naming both Ousmane Dembele and Achraf Hakimi in their travelling squad.

The inclusion of the influential duo will come as welcome news for PSG manager Luis Enrique, with both players having faced late fitness concerns before European club football’s biggest occasion.

Hakimi has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury during the first leg of PSG’s semi-final clash against Bayern Munich, while Dembele picked up a knock during the Ligue 1 season finale against Paris FC. Their selection now strongly suggests they will be available for the final.

Hakimi remains a key figure for the Paris club and etched his name into Champions League history last season when he opened the scoring in PSG’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Inter Milan in Munich to secure the club’s maiden European crown.

Arsenal, however, will be determined to deny the French champions back-to-back titles. The Gunners head into the final brimming with confidence after securing the Premier League title less than a week ago and now have their sights set on completing a memorable double.

Mikel Arteta’s side have also received encouraging news on the injury front, with Dutch defender Jurrien Timber returning to training and included in the squad travelling to Hungary. Timber has been absent since March with a hamstring injury sustained against Everton, missing 14 matches in all competitions.

PSG winger Bradley Barcola warned Arsenal that the reigning champions remain united and highly motivated.

“It’s a great honour to be playing in a second final,” Barcola told club media.

“We’re going to do everything we can to win it. We attack together and defend together, and that collective spirit is our greatest strength.”

The final also carries an element of unfinished business for Arsenal, who were eliminated by PSG in last season’s semi-finals after a 3-1 aggregate defeat.

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Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca knocked Novak Djokovic out in the third round of the French Open on Friday to ruin the Serbian great’s latest quest for a record 25th Grand Slam.

The 19-year-old Fonseca rallied from two sets down for the second straight match to stun Djokovic, winning 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 7-5 after four hours and 53 minutes.

Fonseca, the 28th seed, is through to the last 16 of a major for the first time.

He will next play two-time Roland Garros runner-up Casper Ruud or American 24th seed Tommy Paul.

Asked how he kept believing after falling behind, Fonseca replied, “I actually didn’t.

“I just kept playing. I just enjoyed being on court. What a pleasure it was stepping on court with him (Djokovic) for the first time.

“I was trying to hit the ball as fast as I could. Djokovic, he does not miss,” the teenager added.

Djokovic’s exit comes a day after the shock elimination of world number one and red-hot title favourite Jannik Sinner.

It means there will be a first-time men’s Grand Slam champion this year at the French Open, ending a run of nine successive majors won by Sinner or Carlos Alcaraz.

“What an incredible match to be part of,” said Djokovic.

“Huge credit to Joao for really deserving to win the match. Without a doubt he was the better player in crucial moments,” he added.

Djokovic has been stuck on 24 majors since the 2023 US Open and may not get a better chance to add to that haul. Two-time defending champion Alcaraz was already absent in Paris due to injury.

“You just have to say well done and congratulate him. He played lights-out tennis,” Djokovic said of Fonseca.

“I don’t think I’ve done much wrong with my game. He was just better,” he added.

Alexander Zverev, a three-time Grand Slam finalist, is best placed to capitalise on the wide open draw. The second seed plays Frenchman Quentin Halys in the night session.

Swiatek, Andreeva Move On

Iga Swiatek booked her place in the last 16 of the women’s draw with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Magda Linette in an all-Polish affair.

Four-time women’s champion Swiatek dug herself out of an early 2-0 hole against the 35th-ranked Linette, who won their most recent meeting at Miami in March.

Swiatek broke three times in the opening set to nose ahead, and then surged into a 4-1 lead in the second set.

She overcame a stumble as she tried to close it out, before sealing victory to set up an intriguing match-up with the in-form Marta Kostyuk.

“It was a good match. I played much better than Miami,” said Swiatek, who moved to appoint Francisco Roig, a longtime coach of Rafael Nadal, in the wake of her loss to Linette two months ago.

Kostyuk, the 15th seed, continued her fine run with a 6-4, 6-3 win over Switzerland’s Viktorija Golubic.

She is unbeaten in 15 matches on clay this season following titles in Madrid and Rouen.

“Marta is having a great season. She always had a game to play well.

“So good for her. But I’m going to focus on myself, prepare tactically, as before any other match, and we’ll see,” said Swiatek.

Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva swept into the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Czech 27th seed Marie Bouzkova.

The eighth-seeded Andreeva goes on to face Swiss world number 170 Jil Teichmann, who knocked out former French Open runner-up Karolina Muchova.

AFP